Sheet feeding apparatus



1933- J. PERRY SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Ori ginal Filed July 15, 1928 5Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEYE ,Aug. 8, 1933. J. PERRY SHEET FEEDINGAPPARATUS Original Filed July 13, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 11 11 E E N w.

ATTORNEYS Aug. 8, 1933;. J. PERRY 1,921,167

' SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Original Filed July is, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet sGttorncg Patented Au 3, 1933 1,321,167 SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS JohnPerry, Pearl River, N. I, asslgnor to Dexter Folder Company, New York,N. Corporation of New York Application July 13,1928, Serial No. 292,510

Renewed October 19, 1931 42Claims.

This invention relates to sheet pull-up and registering devices adaptedfor association with sheet feeders, folders, or any instrumentalitywhere the use of said devices is desirable.

One object of the invention is to provide sheet pull-up and registeringdevices that will efficiently and accurately register relatively thinsheets such as Bible stock or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide devices that support theleading edge of the sheet and operate through frictional engagementtherewith, to pull it up to the sheet registering devices withoutcrumpling or tearing the sheet.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for accuratelyregistering the sheet after it engages front stops and is pulled up tosaid means by the pull-up devices.

Another object of the invention is to provid sheet pull-up andregistering devices that are adjustable to accommodate sheets of varioussizes and wherein the frictional engagement of the pull-up devices withthe sheet may lie-varied as desired.

Other objects of the invention will appear as r the followingdescription thereof proceeds.

In order to more clearly understand the invention reference may be hadto the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of theinventive idea and wherein:

Fig. 1 is detail perspective View of a paper folding machine equippedwith sheet pull-up and registering mechanism embodying thepresentinvention.

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged perspective views with parts omitted, ofsheet pull-up and registering devices respectively, illustrated in Fig.1.

Figs. 4 and 5 are top and bottom plan views respectively of the sheetregistering device, shown in Figs. 1 and 3;

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a friction pad forming part ofthe sheet pull-up device;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail perspective view of a sheet pull-up deviceand associated sheet registering device;

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view of parts of the sheetpull-up and registering devices.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of the sheetpull-up and registering devices, showing the sheet engaged with frontstops moved rearwardly of the sheet registering device;

and Y Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9, showing the front stops movedforwardly of the sheet registering device and the sheet pulled upthereto.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designatelike parts throughout the several views, 5 indicates a suitable sourceof power preferably comprised by an electric motor the armature shaft 6of which has fixed thereon a pulley 7. Passing around the pulley 'l is abelt 8 that also passes around a pulley 9 fixed on one end of a mainpower shaft 10 journaled in suitable bearings on the side frames (notshown) of a paper folding machine.

Fixed on the opposite end of the shaft 10 is a pinion 11 that mesheswith an idler gear 12 which in turn meshes with an idler gear 13 that Vframework and around rollers 20 carried on arms 21. The arms 21 arefixed on a rock shaft 22 journaled in suitable bearings on the machineframework and said arms carry weights 23 which normally act to depressthe arms 21' and the rollers 20 so as to take up the slack in the tapes18.

The sheets are fed from any suitable source of supply to the feed roller17 and tapes 18 and the latter carry the successive sheets forward froma feed boardl? to movable front stops hereinafter described. As hereinshown, a drop rollor mechanism is employed in conjunction with the feedroller 17 and said mechanism comprises and is operated by the followinginstrumentalities. Fixed on the main power shaft 1c is a pinion 24 thatmeshes with an idler pinion 25 journaled on one of the side frames ofthe machine. This idler pinion 25 meshes with a large gear 26 fixed onone end of a driven shaft 27 that is journaled in suitable hearings onthe machine framework. The shaft 27 has fixed thereon adjacent the gear26,12. cam 28, and straddling said shaft between the gear 26 and the cam28, we is a fork 29 formed on one end of a link 30 which carries aroller 31 that is spring-pressed into engagement with the cam 28 bymeans to be presently described. The link 30 is pivotally connected at31 with an arm 32 that is fixed on a rockshaft 33 journaled in suitablebearings on the machine framework. Fixed on the rockshaft 33 are arms 34that carry a rod 35 on which are mounted drop-rollers 36 that are raisedby the cam 28 when the sheet is fed between the feed 3 ers 36 are thenlowered through the medium of an arm 37 that is fixed on the rockshaft33 and operated rearwardly by a spring-pressed rod 38,

one end of which is pivotally connected to said arm. The opposite end ofthe rod 38 extends through a suitable opening formed in a stud 39 on themachine framework. Carried on the rod 38 between a collar 40 thereon andthe stud 39, is

a coil spring 41 which is compressed when the drop-rollers are raisedand thereafter acts to lower said rollers as described. The sheet isthen fed forwardly to the front stops, to-be acted on by pull-up,registering, and, folding devices hereinaftr described.

Thefront stops are preferably comprised by and operated through themedium of the following instrumentalities. Fixed on the driven shaft 27is a bevel gear 42 which meshes-with a bevel gear 43 that is fixed onone end of a shaft 44 journaled in suitable bearings on the machine andextending longitudinally thereof substantially at right angles to'theshaft 27. Fixed on the opposite end of the shaft 44 is a bevel gear 45that meshes with a bevel gear 46 rigidly secured on a shaft 47 extendingtransversely of the machine and journaled in suitable bearings on theframework thereof. This shaft 47 has fixed on one end thereof, a cam 48that engages a spring-pressed roller 49 carried on one arm 50 of adouble bell crank lever pivoted at 51 on a stationary part of themachine. A second arm 52 of this bell crank lever has pivotallyconnected therewith one end of arod 53 the opposite end of which extendsthrough a suitable opening in a stud 54 carried on one of the sideframes of the machine. 'Carried on the rod 53 is a coilspring 55 one endof which abuts against the stud ,54, the opposite end of said springabutting a collar 56 fixed on the rod 53. It will thus appear that thebell crank 50, 52 is cam operated in one direction and spring-operatedin the opposite direction so that the roller 49 always follows the cam48. A third arm 57 of the double bell crank lever has pivotallyconnected therewith one end of a link 58 the opposite end of which ispivotally connected with an arm 59' that is fixed on one extremity of arockshaft 60 extending transversely of the machine and journaled insuitable bearings on the side frames thereof. Fixed on the rockshaft 60adjacent opposite ends thereof are arms 61 the free ends of which arepivotally connected at 62 with extensions 63 of U-shaped brackets 64.The brackets 64 are secured to, or formed integrally with, bars 65 thatare reciprocated on rollers 66 journaled in suitable bearings on theside frames of the machine.

Mounted on the bars 65 for reciprocating movement therewith andadjustment longitudinally thereof, are brackets 67 and secured to saidbrackets is a bar 68 that extends transversely of the machine andcarries the front stops 69. In the operation of the machine, the frontstops 69 move rearwardly to be engaged by-the leading edge of the sheet,whereupon said stops are moved forwardly and the drop rollers 36 areraised, to provide for the operation of the pull-up and sheetregistering devices on the first sheet and the feeding of the next sheetforwardly from the feed board 17'.v This rearward and forward movementof the front stops 69 is effected by the described connections thereforwith the bell crank 50, 52, 57 that is rocked by the cam 48 and thespring 55. In accordance. with the present invention, the operativeposition of the stops 69 may be changed as desired to accommodate sheetsof different sizes and this is preferably effected through the medium'of the following instrumentalities.

Journaled in suitable bearings on the brackets 64 is a shaft 70 havingsecured on one end thereof a crank handle 71 for turning said shaft.Fixed on the shaft 70 between the arms of the brackets 64 are worm gears72 that mesh with worm gears 73 fixed on screw shafts 74 extending atright angles to the shaft 70 and threaded through suitable screwthreaded openings in the brackets 67. It will thus appear, that when theshaft 70 is rotated by the crank handle 71, the brackets 67 will slidealong the bars 65 in a direction corresponding-with thedirection ofrotation of the shaft 70, whereupon the bar 68 and the stops 69 willlikewise be moved to change theposition of the latter in accordance withthe size of the particular sheet that it is desired to handle in themachine.

After the stops 69 are moved rearwardly, the pull-up devices abovereferred to act on the sheet to pull it up to the sheet registeringdevices. In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in thedrawings, two-.pull-up and sheet registering devices are employed, thesame'being adjustable toward and away from each other to accommodatesheets of various sizes and each carrying one of the sheet registeringdevices. The.construction' and operation of the two sheet pull-up andregistering devices, together with the adjusting mechanisms therefore,are identical and it is therefore only necessary to describe one of thesame. The pull-up devices preferably compriseand are operated throughthe medium of the following instrumentalities. Fixed on the shaft 47 isa cam 75 between which and the cam 48 is arranged a link 76 having aforked end 77 engaged over the shaft 47. The opposite end of the link 76is pivotally connected with one arm 78 of a bell crank that is rigidlysecured on a rockshaft 79 extending'transversely of the machine andJournaled in suitable hearings on the framework thereof. The other arm80 of this bell crank has pivotally connected therewith one end of a rod81 the opposite end of which extends through a suitable opening in astud 82 carried by one of the side frames of the machine. Mounted on therod 81 between a collar 83 thereon and the stud 82 is' a coil spring 84.The link 76 carries a roller 85 that is caused to follow the cam 75 bythe spring 84. It will thus appear that the rockshaft 79 will be camoperated in one direction and spring-operated in the opposite directionas the shaft 47 is rotated through the described driving connectionstherefor with the shaft 27.

Fixed on the side frames of the machine and extending transverselythereof is a bar 86 arranged in substantially parallel relation with therockshaft .79. Mounted on the bar 86 and the rockshaft 79; foradjustment laterally of the machine, is a bracket 87 having adove-tailed slot 88 and spaced apertured ears 89. The slotted portion 88of the bracket 87 is slidably engaged over beveled edges 90 of the bar86 and the rockshaft 79 extends through the apertures in the ears 89 andis provided with a longitudinal keyway 91 as clearly shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawings. Mounted on the rockshaft 79 between the ears 89 and thebracket 87 is an arm 92 having a key or pin 93 engaged in the keyway 91of the rockshaft 79. Attached to the arm 92 is one end of a connection94 the opposite end of which is secured to an arm 95 of a bell crank 96mounted on the bracket 87 in suitable openings formed in arm 134 of anL-shaped time: indicated spaced ears 9'! of said bracket (Figs. 1 and'1).

The other arm 98 of the bell cranklever 96 is.

' is provided-with an adjusting screw 106 that engages the cross bar 105and can be turned tdraise or lower the bar 104 about the pivot thereforprovided by the bell crank 96. The other arm 107 of the bell crank 103has attached thereto one end of a connection 108 the opposite end ofwhich is secured to the arm 95 of the bell crank 96. It will thus appearthat rocking motion of the shaft '79 acts through the connectionstherefor with the bar 100 to raise and lower the latter at certainintervals during the operation of the machine. This up and down movementof the bar 100 is utilized to intermittently raise a roller 109 which inits operativeor lowermost position acts to hold the sheet in frictionalengagement with the pull-up device proper. The roller 109 is iournaledon the lower end of a slide 110 (Fig. 2) that is providedat' its upperend with a plate 111 carrying at one side thereof an adjusting screw 112that engages the bar 100 and regulates the amount of upward movementimparted thereby to said roller. The slide 110 is guided on a brackat113 carried by the bar 104, said slide having a slot 114 through whichprojects pins 115 and 116 that are secured to the bracket 113 and act toretain the slide 110 thereon as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.The plate 111 also carries an adjusting screw 11'! having connectedtherewith one end of a coil spring 113, the opposite end of which isconnected with the pin 116. The spring 118 acts to lower the roller 109in engagement with the sheet, the screw 117 being adjustable to vary thetension of the spring 113 in ac-- cordance with the adjustment of thescrew 112.

The bracket 113 is provided with a dove-tail slot 119 engaged over thebeveled edges 120 of a guide plate 121 secured to the bar 194. A guideblock 122 carried by the guide plate 121 is ad= justable along thelatter and may be secured in any desired position of adjustment by a setscrew 123. Journaled in a suitable bearing on the guide block 122 is ascrew shaft 121 that isthreaded in a boss 125 formed on the bracket 113.

It will thus appear, that in addition to the adjustment of the bracket113 and roller 199 provided by the guide block 122, said bracket androller may be further and more accurately adjusted forwardly orrearwardly as desired by rotating the screw 124 in the proper direction.

The pull-up device proper is preferably carried by a horizontallyextending frame-like'bracket 126 provided at one end with upwardly bentarms 12? secured to the front face of the bracket 87 as by machinescrews 128. The bracket 126 is further provided with opposed parallelguide slots 129 in which is slidably mounted a plate 130 provided at oneend with a slot 131 extending longitudinally thereof. During theoperation of the machine, this plate 130 is reciprocated in the guideslots 129 by the bar 68 which for this purposeis provided with a flange132 having a slot 133 therein through which extends a vertical broadlyat135. The other or horizontal arm 136 of said bracket is secured to theplate 130 by a bolt 13'! that extends through the slot 131 and by meansof which the plate 130 may beadiusted rearwardly or forwardly relativeto the bar 68 to accommodate sheets of various sizes. on the end of theplate opposite that provided with the slot 131, is mounted a pull-upmember which is preferably comprised by a friction pad 138 of leather orsuitable material that is secured in any suitable manner, as bystitching 139 (Fig. 6), to 11.

plate 140. The plate 140 is provided in one end thereof with an opening141 for a set screw 142 which may be secured in any one of a series ofscrew threaded openings 143 formed in the end of the plate 130 carryingthe pad 138. It'will thus appear that the pad 138, through the medium ofthe set screw 142 and threaded openings 143, may be adjusted to anydesired position longitudinally of the plate 130. As the sheet is fedforwardly by the conveyor tapes 18, it passes over and is supported bythe pad 138 until the leading edge of the sheet engages the front stops69. At this time, the roller 109, through the operating connectionstherefor with the rock shaft '79,

lowers into engagement with the sheet on the pad 138, whereupon thefront stops 69 and the bar 68 are moved forwardly carrying therewith theplate 130. The sheet, being frictionally engaged between the roller 109and the pad 133, is thus pulled up by the latter to the sheetregistering devices each of which is mounted on one of the brackets 126and preferably comprises the following devices.

Two spaced pairs of springmetal clips 144 (Figs. 3, 4, 5, 7, 9- and 10)have outwardly bent ends 145 into which the leading edge of the sheet ispulled by the pull-up device 138. As said edge of the sheet advancesbetween the arms of the spring clips 144, it engages points or lugs 145'of a sheet registering bar 146 to the opposite extremities of which aresecured, as by set screws 147, the upwardly bent forward ends 1480f thespring clips 144 (Fig. 3). The bent up forward ends 148 of said clipsare preferably received in formed in a bracket 153 that is slidablymounted on one side of the bracket 126, the bar 151 being retained onbracket 153 as by plates 154 and set screws 155. The bracket 153 isprovided on its under side with a beveled tenon 156 that is slidablymounted on the bracket 126 in a dovetail slot 157 formed on one side ofsaid bracket at the top thereof. Formed in the tenon 156 is a slot 158for a leaf spring 159 that is secured to the bracket 153 by a screw 160and frictionally engages the bottom of the dovetail slot 15?. Thebracket 153 is provided with a boss 161 through which is threaded a setscrew 162 adapted to engage the bracket 126 to hold the bracket 153 andthe sheet registering bar 146 in any desired position of adjustment onthe bracket 126. Rotatably mounted in a boss 162' of the bracket 153 isa screw shaft 163 provided at one end with a turning knob 164. Thisscrew shaft 163 is threaded through a suitable opening in the end of anarm 165 of a small bracket 166 that is will thus appear, thatby-rotating the screw shaft 163, a further and more accurate adjustmentof the sheet registering device 146 may be obtained if desired.

Through the medium of the screws 106, 112 and 117, the roller 109 andthe friction pad 138 may be adjusted relatively to obtain frictionalengagement between these elements that is sufficient to pull the sheetup against the sheet registering devices and at the same time allow forslippage between said elements in the event one side of the sheet ispulled up against one sheet registering device before the oppositesideof the sheet is pulled up to the other sheet registering device. Forexample, if a sheet is fed to the sheet registering devices out ofalignment therewith, the leading edge of the sheet will engage one sheetregistering device before it engages the other sheet registering device.In this event, the roller 109 and pad 138 at the side of the sheetengaged with the first sheet registering device, will slide relativelyto the sheet to prevent crumpling or tearing thereof, and the oppositeside of the sheet will be acted on by the corresponding pull-up deviceuntil the leading edge of the sheet is brought up against both of thesheet registering devices. This is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig.4 by dotted lines which show, for example,

the position of the leading edge of the sheet in and out of alignmentrespectively with the side registering devices. After the sheet has beenproperly registered, the roller 109, through the connections thereforwith'the rockshaft 79, is lifted, at which time thesheet may be foldedby any suitable means for this purpose.-

The folding means herein shown preferably comprises and is operated bythe following instrumentalities. Fixed on the shaft 27 is a cam 168 thatengages a roller 169 journaled on the free end of-an arm 170 that isfixed on one extremity of a rockshaft 171 extending transversely of themachine and journaled insuitable hearings on the side frames thereof.Rigidly secured on the rockshaft 171 adjacent opposite ends thereof, arecurved arms 172 that carry a folding knife 173 which, during theoperation of the machine, is raised and lowered by the arm 170 throughthe medium of the cam 168 and a spring-pressed rod 174. One end of thisrod 174 is pivotally connected with the arm 170, the opposite end ofsaid rod extending loosely through a suitable opening in a stud 175'carried by one of the side frames of the machine. Mounted on the rod 174between a collar 176 thereon and the stud 175, is a coil spring 175which is compressed when the high part of the cam 168 engages the roller169 to lift the folding blade 173. After the sheet has been registeredas above described, the low part of the cam engages the roller 169whereupon the spring 175 causes said roller to follow the cam anddepress the arm 170 which then lowers the folding blade 173. As thefolding blade 173 descends, it engages the registered sheet between thebight of a pair of driven folding rollers 177. These rollers 177 deliverthe folded sheets onto conveyor tapes 188 that carry the sheet to asecond folding mechanism or to any desired point of delivery for thesheets. The folding rollers 177 and the tapes 188 are arranged andoperated in a well known manner and since they form no part of thepresent invention it is not necessary to describe the same in detail. I

The pull-up and sheet registering devices, as previously mentioned, arerelatively adjustable laterally of the machine to accommodate varioussizes of sheets. For this purpose, the bar 86 is provided at the endsthereof with brackets 189 in which are journaled screw shafts 190 theouter ends of which carry crank handles 191. These screw shafts 190 arethreaded through bosses 192 on the brackets 87, and itwili thus appear,that by turning said screw shafts, the brackets 87 and the various partsof the sheet pull-up and registering devices can be adjusted laterallyof the machine as desired.

The operation of the sheet pull-up and registering devices will beclearly understood from the foregoing and may be briefly summarized asfollows. After the sheet has been fed between the feed roller 17 and thedrop rollers 86, the latter descend to engage the sheet with said feedroller which, through the medium of the tapes 18, then advances thesheet so that the leading edge thereof passes over the friction pads 138and under the rollers 109 which at this time are separated by raisingmovement of the bar 100. The rollers 109 are then lowered intoengagement with the sheet, whereupon the front stops 69 are movedforwardly carrying with them the plates 130 and the friction pads 138.Through the frictional engagement between the rollers 109 and the pads138, the sheet is advanced or pulled up by the plates 130 until theleading edge of the sheet passes between the opposed arms of the springclips 144 and engages the sheet registering bars 146. After the sheet isproperly registered against the bars 146, the rollers 109 are lifted bythe bar 100, whereupon the folder blade 178 descends and folds the sheetin the bight of the rollers 177 which then deliver the folded sheet tothe tapes 188.

It will appear from the foregoing that mechanism embodying the presentinvention will pull and straighten up the sheet without danger oftearing the same, and that through thevarious adjustments provided forthe mechanisms, an extremely accurate register of the sheet is obtained.Moreover, the pull-up devices for the sheets in addition to theirprimary function, also act to support the leading edge of the sheetprior to acting on the same, which is a desirable function in the caseof relatively thin sheets that otherwise" would require independentsupporting means therefor.

While the invention has been described particularly as respectsapplication thereof to a knife folding machine, it will of course beunderstood that the invention may be employed in other types of foldingmachines, or with various ity where the use of pull-up and sheetregistering devices is desirable. Moreover, while one embodiment of theinvention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is to beexpressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto orotherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with sheet feeding means and sheet registering means,of a reciprocating types of sheet feeders, or with any instrumentalfrontstop movable bodily past said sheet registerfront stop movable bodilypast said sheet registering means and adapted to stop' the sheetrearwardly thereof, means for pulling the sheet up to the sheetregistering means comprising a pullup member connected with saidreciprocating front stop and receiving the sheet from said sheet feedingmeans, and an element movable toward and away from the pull-up memberand adapted vices comprising one or more pull-up members.

arranged to engage the under side of the sheet on the forward partthereof and connected with said reciprocating. front stop or stops.

4. The combination with sheet feeding means and sheet registering means,of one or morereciprocating front stops movable bodily past said sheetregistering means and adapted to stop the sheet rearwardly thereof, anda plurality of relatively adjustable pull-up members arranged to engagethe under side of the sheet on the forward part thereof said pull-upmembers being connected with said reciprocating front stop or stops andadapted to pull said sheet up to the sheet registering means.

5. The combination with sheet feeding means and sheet registering means,of reciprocating means movable bodily past said sheet registering meansand adapted to stop the sheet rearwardly thereof, and a plurality ofrelatively adjustable mechanisms each comprising a pull-up memberconnected with said reciprocating means and adapted to pull said sheetup to the sheet registering means and an element movable toward and awayfrom the pull-up member and adapted to engage the sheet with said memberwhile the same is pulling the sheet up to the sheet registering means. 7

6. The combination with sheet feedin means and sheet registering means,of adjustably mounted reciprocating means movable bodily past said sheetregistering means and adapted to stop the sheet rearwardly thereof, aplurality of pullup members connected with said adjustably mountedreciprocating means and adapted to pull the sheet up to said sheetregistering means, and a corresponding number of elements movabletowards and away from said pull-up members and adapted to engage thesheet with said members while the same are pulling the sheet up to thesheet registering means.

7. The combination with sheet registering means andmeans for feedingsheets toward the same, of a reciprocating front stop movable bodilypast the sheet registering means and adapted to stop the sheetrearwardly thereof, means for pulling the sheet up to the sheetregistering means comprising a pull-up member connected with saidreciprocating front stop and over which the sheet is fed by said sheetfeeding means, and a slidably mounted element movable toward and awayfrom the pull-up member and adapted to engage the sheet with said memberwhile the same is pulling the sheet up to the sheet registering means.

8. The combination with sheet registering devices and means for feedingsheets toward the same, of'reciprocating sheet stops arranged to movepast saidsheet registering devices and .means mounted on said bracketand receiving adapted to stop the sheet rearwardly thereof,

. means for pulling the sheet up to the sheet registering devicescomprising a reciprocating pull-up member over which the sheet is fed bysaid sheet feeding means, and, a slidably and rotatably mounted rollermovable toward and away from the pull-up member and adapted to engagethe sheet with said member while the same is pulling the sheet up to thesheet registering devices.

9. The combination with sheet registering means and means for feeding asheet toward the same, of reciprocating means movable past said sheetregistering means and adapted to stop the sheet rearwardly thereof, abracket carrying the sheet registering means, means for pulling saidsheet up to the sheet registering means comprising a pull-up membermounted on said bracket and connected with said reciprocating means, andan element movable toward and away from the pull-up member and adaptedto engage the sheet with said'member while the same is pulling the sheetup to the sheet registering means.

10. The combination with a sheet registering device and means forfeeding a sheet toward the same, of reciprocating sheet stops movablepast said sheet registering device and adapted to stop the sheetrearwardly thereof, a bracket on which the sheet registering device ismounted for adjustment longitudinally of the machine, and means forpulling the sheet up to said sheet registering device comprising apull-up member slidably mounted on said bracket and connected with saidreciprocating sheet stops.

11. In combination, a bracket, sheet registering means carried thereby,and reciprocating means on said bracket adapted to pull a sheet up tosaid sheet registering means.

12. In combination, a bracket, sheet registering means adjustable alongsaid bracket, a member slidably mounted on the bracket and adapted topull a sheet up to the sheet registering means, and means forreciprocatingsaid member.

13. In combination, reciprocating stop means, a bracket adjacentthereto, sheet registering means carried by the bracket, and a sheetpullup member adjustably connected with said stop means and movablethereby along said bracket.

14. In combination, sheet pull-up means, a bracket carrying the same,sheet registering the sheet from the pull-up means, and means foradjusting the sheet registering means along said bracket.

15. Incombin'ationfia support, a sheet registering device carriedthereby, a reciprocating front stop movable in opposite directions pastsaid sheet registering device, and means adapted to pull a sheet up tothe sheet registering device comprising a member connected with thereciprocating front stop and an element movable toward and away fromsaid member.

16. In combination, a support, a bracket slidable along said support tovarious positions of adjustment, sheet registering means slidablymounted on said bracket, and means for adjusting said sheet registeringmeans along the bracket in any position of adjustment thereof.-

17. In combination, a support, a bracket slidably mounted thereon, meansfor securing the bracket in any desired position on the support, sheetregistering means slidable along said bracket, and means for adjustingthe sheet registering means along the bracket comprising ascrew shaftjournalled on the slidably mounted bracket and having threadedengagement with said sheet registering means.

18. In combination, a support having a groove or slot therein, a brackethaving a tenon slidably fitted in said groove or slot and, a springreceiving recess in said tenon, a spring secured to the tenon in saidrecess and frictionally engaging a wall of the groove or slot formed inthe support, and sheet registering means carried by said bracket andslidable therewith along said support.

19. In combination, an open frame-like sup port, a bracket mounted onand adjustable along one side of said support, sheet registering meanscarried by the bracket, and means for securing said bracket and thesheet registering means in any desired position of adjustment on saidside of the support.

20. In combination, sheet registering means, a sheet pulling'deviceadapted to pull a sheet into engagement with the sheet registeringmeans, sheet feeding means adapted to feed the sheet over and upon thesheet pulling device, movable means arranged to travel in oppositedirections past the sheet registering means and adapted to be engaged bythe sheet before said sheet engages said sheet registering means, andmeans connecting said movable means with said sheet pulling means tooperate the latter.

21. In combination, sheet registering means, a sheet puller adapted topull a sheet into engagement with the sheet registering means, a deviceadapted to pull a sheet into engagement with the sheet registeringmeans, and means connecting said reciprocating member with said sheetpulling means to operate the latter.

23. In combination, sheet registering means, a slotted sheet pullingdevice adapted to pull a sheet into engagement with the sheetregistering means, a sheet stop traveling in opposite directions pastthe sheet registering means and engaged by the sheet before it isengaged and registered by said means, and means for operating the sheetpulling device connected through the slot thereof with said sheet stop.

. 24. In combination, sheet registering means, a sheet pulling deviceadapted to pull a sheet into engagement with the sheet registeringmeans, a sheet stop movable in opposite directions past thesheetregistering means and engaged by the sheet before it is engaged andregistered by said means, mechanism for-reciprocating the sheet stop,and connections between the sheet stop and said sheet pulling device foroperating the latter.

25. In combination, a slotted reciprocating element, a sheet stopthereon, sheet registering means past which the sheet stop is moved inopposite directions by the reciprocating element, a slotted pull-updevice adapted to move the sheet into engagement with the sheetregistering means, and means for operating the pull-up device fromthereciprocating element and comprising connections between said elementand said device and extending through the slots thereof.

26. In combination, a slotted reciprocating element, a sheet stopthereon, sheet registering means past which the sheet stop is moved in09- posite directions by the reciprocating element, a slotted pull-updevice adapted to pull the sheet into engagement with the sheetregistering means,

and means adjustably connecting the reciprocating element with thepull-up device for operating the latter and comprising a bracketextending through the slot of said reciprocating element and connectionsbetween said bracket and said pullup device and extending through theslot of the latter.

27. In combination, sheet registering means, sheet stopping meansmovable forwardly and rearwardly thereof, sheet moving means adapted toengage the sheet with the sheet stopping means when the latter is movedrearwardly of the sheet registering means, and other means onto whichthe sheet is moved forwardly by the sheet moving means and adapted tosupport said sheet and move it into engagement with said sheetregistering means when the sheet stopping means is moved forwardlythereof.

28. In combination, sheet registering means, sheet stopping meansmovable in opposite directions past the sheet registering means, sheetmoving means adapted to engage a sheet with the sheet stopping meanswhen the latter is moved in one direction past the sheet registeringmeans, and means onto which a sheet is moved by said sheet moving meansand adapted to support said sheet and pull it into engagement with thesheet registering means when the sheet stopping means is moved in theopposite directions past the same.

29. In combination, sheet registering means, endless sheet feedingmeans, reciprocating means onto which a sheet is fed by said endlesssheet feeding means and adapted to support said sheet and move it intoengagement with the sheet registering means, and sheet stopping meansmovable in opposite directions past the sheet registering means so as tobe engaged by the sheet before it engages said sheet registering means.

30. In combination, sheet registering means,

sheet feeding means, movable means onto which registering means andmovable in opposite directions past the same, reciprocable meansadjacent the path of travel of a sheet fed to the sheet stopping meansand adapted to'support said sheet and move it into engagement with thesheet registering means, and means for moving the sheet stopping meansas aforesaid so that the sheet engages said sheet stopping means beforeengaging said sheet registering means.

32. The method of handling sheets, which consists in moving a sheet,temporarily engaging its leading edge along a portion thereof extendingacross and at opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of saidsheet, and registering the sheet by further moving it and engaging itsleading edge at points thereon spaced from and located at opposite sidesof said line.

33. The method of handling sheets, which consists in moving a sheet,temporarily stopping the sheet by temporarily engaging its leading edgealong a portion thereof extending across and at opposite sides of thelongitudinal center line of said sheet, further moving the sheet, andregistering said sheet by engaging its leading edge at points thereonspaced from andlocated at opposite sides of said line.

34. The method of handling sheets, which consists in moving a sheet,temporarily engaging its leading edge along a portion thereof extendingacross and at opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of-thesheet, and stopping and registering said sheet by engaging its leadingedge at points thereon spaced from and located at opposite sides of saidline.

35. The method of handling sheets, which consists in moving the sheet,temporarily stopping the sheet by temporarily engaging its leading edgealong substantially the entire length thereof, and finally stopping andregistering the sheet by further moving said sheet and engaging itsleading edge at points thereon spaced from and located at opposite sidesof the longitudinal center of the sheet. p

36. In a machine of the class described, means for moving a sheet in thedirection of a center line thereof, a plurality of registering means towhich the sheet is moved by said sheet moving means and spaced apart toengage the sheet at points on its leading edge spaced from and locatedat opposite sides 'of said line, movable stop means extending across thespace between the sheet registering means exteriorly thereof and adaptedto be engaged by the sheet along the portion of said edge between saidpoints, and means for moving the stop means into and out of the spacetraversed by said edge portion of the sheet and enabling the sheet toengage said stop means and said sheet registering means successively.

37. In a machine of the class described, means for moving a sheet in thedirection of a center line thereof, a plurality of sheet registeringmeans to which the sheet is moved by said sheet moving means and spacedapart to engage the sheet at points on its leading .edge spaced from andlocated at opposite sides of said line, stop means extending across themachine exteriorly of the spaced sheet registering means, said stopmeans being movable past said sheet registering means .in oppositedirections and adapted for engagement by the sheet along the portion ofsaid edge between said points, and mechanism for moving the stop meansas aforesaid and into and out of the space traversed by said edgeportion, whereby the sheet may engage said stop means and said sheetregistering means successively.

38. In a machine of the class described, means for moving a sheet in thedirection of a center line thereof, a pair ofaligned sheet registeringdevices to which the sheet is moved by the sheet movingmeans and spacedapart for engagement by the sheet at points on its leading edge spacedfrom and located at opposite sides of said line respectively, movablestop means extending transversely of the machine between and at theouter sides of the two sheet registering devices and adapted forengagement by the sheet along substantially the entire leading edgeportion thereof, and means for moving the transversely extending stopmeans into and out of the space traversed by said edge portion of thesheet, whereby the sheet may engage the stop means and the sheetregistering devices successively.

39. In a machine of the class described, means for moving a sheet in thedirection of a center line thereof, relatively movable sheet registeringmeans and sheet stop means, said sheet registering means' being spacedapart for engagement by the sheet at points on itsleading edge spacedfrom and located at opposite sides of said line, and said stop meansextending across the machine exteriorly of the spaced sheet registeringmeans and being adapted for contact by the sheet along the portion ofsaid edge extending between said points, and means for moving the' stopmeans and the sheet registering means relatively so that said sheet mayengage said stop means before engaging said registering means. 40. In amachine of the class described, means for moving a sheet in thedirection of a center line thereof, a pair of stationary sheetregistering devices to which the sheet is moved by the sheet registeringand spaced apart transversely of the machine for contact by the leadingedge 7 of the sheet at points spaced from and located at opposite sidesof said line, a movable bar or the like extending across the machineexteriorly of the sheet registering devices and provided along itslength with stop means adapted for engagement by the sheet along theportion of said edge between said points, said stop means being movableinto and out of the space traversed by said edge portion on movement ofthe bar in opposite directions, and means for moving said bar and thestop means as aforesaid, whereby the sheet may first engage said stopmeans and thereafter engage said sheet registering devices.

41.. In combination, a bracket, sheetregistering means carried thereby,stop means movable one direction for engagement by a sheet fed t wardsthe sheet registering means and movable in the opposite direction toenable said sheet-to engage said sheet registering means, and means -onsaid bracket for moving the sheet up to the 'sheet registering meansupon movement of said stop means in the last named direction.

42. In combination, a bracket, sheet registering means carried thereby,stop means movable in one direction for engagement by a sheet fed towardthe sheet registering means and movable in the opposite direction toenable said sheet to engage said sheet registering means, and means onthe bracket connected with the stop means and operated thereby to move asheet up to the sheet registering means when said stop means is moved inthe last named direction.

JOHN PERRY.

